At 99.1 percent, UConn John Dempsey Hospital has the highest Hepatitis B birth dose vaccination rate for newborns among all Connecticut hospitals.

Of the 684 births last year at UConn John Dempsey, 678 newborns were successfully vaccinated to protect them against Hepatitis B infection.

UConn Health’s vaccination rate soars high above the 83.5 percent statewide average according to the latest data of the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s Immunization Program released this spring.

If not protected with vaccination at birth, the potential health risks infants face from Hepatitis B infection include long term and chronic health consequences from developing liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure as adults.

During the previous year UConn Health scored high with a 95.8 percent vaccination rate and was named to the statewide Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll by the national Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), a close partner of the CDC, which works to increase immunization rates to prevent diseases like Hepatitis B.

Once again UConn John Dempsey Hospital has made the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll.

“It is critical for infants to be protected from the dangers of Hepatitis B infection through immunization at birth,” said Carrie Ferrindino MSN, RN-BC, nurse manager in Maternal Child Health at UConn Health. “Because of our staff’s dedication to our newborns and their caring attitudes they have done an amazing job in making sure our new babies are properly immunized against Hepatitis B.”

Ferrindino added: “Our clinical care team has done a great job again keeping us on the statewide Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll.”

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